Following up on a report in The Californian, Scott Cox over at KERN 1180 talk radio is reporting that the Panama Buena Vista School District has canceled the traditional junior high graduations to save money. Cox is outraged (of course radio hosts are always outraged) as are some moms calling into his morning show. Yet it raises an important question: have we put too much emphasis on kids reaching a level of achievement that - let's be honest here - should be expected? All the limos and hoopla over eighth grade? Shouldn't parents in a county with one of the nation's highest high school dropout rates and lowest college graduation rates demand more? What do you think?
If you have been to a junior high school graduation in recent years, you'd be appalled at the poor behavior of the adults in the audience, screaming, jumping up and down, and blowing air horns, obliterating other families' special moments. Probably these parents will not have children who will make it to high school, so it's the only "graduation" their kids will get. Given the state of the budget, it's something that can easily be sacrificed for the greater good.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I should have added: Scott Cox is a dimwit.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta love Scott Cox, he's the only one of these AM local dimwits that still speaks his mind whether your on his side or not. It used to be Jaz or Inga but they both switch sides all the time depends on which day or which guest is on.
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